This, here, is a formative album for me. And it was released 30 years ago now, on June 26th, 1995.
Though they have been one of my favourite groups since I first got this album at the age of 15/16, I have only seen them once live. That was back in October 2000, if memory serves, at Max Bell Arena. After the opening act finished, Ed and Tom came out and started doing their thing on the decks and synths. They pressed keys and twisted nobs and did whatever they do to make their music play, bouncing around and bobbing their heads the whole time. I did the same, seated in the side seats of the arena. I’ve never been a floor or mosh pit kind of guy – I prefer to take in the experience of it all from a safe distance. As a Fly on the wall, essentially.
I remember taking it all in and looking across the arena to the opposite seats and seeing an arcade game, doing its best to survive the sonic torrent. The bass from the subwoofers was so heavy from the Chemical Brothers live set that the old CRT Television screen was being severely affected by what I am guessing were fluctuations in the magnetic field. Every time there was a new thump of bass came from the subs, the looping video of the arcade game demo’s picture would be horizontally squeezed at the top and bottom. It was like watching an old VHS movie bounce from full-screen to widescreen over and over again, in time with the beats.
I wish I could see the Chemical Brothers live at least once more, but like many of the groups I listen to, they don’t play much in North America. Or at least in Calgary. It doesn’t help much that I don’t personally know many others who listen to the same music I do. Maybe that is what I should do when I hit 50 – travel to Europe and see some of my favourite acts, live.
Anyhow.
Happy 30th birthday to one of the albums that indoctrinated me into my love for electronic music! Perhaps you would like to be indoctrinated, too.
Cheers,
Evan
The brothers’ gonna work it out
Bonus viewing: The Chemical Brothers – Live @ Lollipop, Stockholm 1997 (Full Set)